1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a coin dispenser arrangement installed in a gaming machine such as a slot machine or the like that is played by using a playing medium such as a coin or a medal (hereinafter, called xe2x80x9ccoinxe2x80x9d).
2. Description of the Related Art
A coin dispenser arrangement for a gaming machine is a device for paying out one-by-one coins from in a bucket. A known coin dispenser arrangement has a structure by which a coin is guided to a higher (i.e., elevated) position than the coin discharge slot of the bucket. This coin dispenser arrangement is known as an xe2x80x9cescalator typexe2x80x9d coin dispenser arrangement.
The known escalator type coin dispenser arrangement has a bucket portion that accommodates a plurality of coins, a coin discharge disk that is disposed inclined to a horizontal plane in the bucket and is driven into rotation in the inclined plane, and a coin discharge slot. A passage for guiding the coins after each of which has passed though the coin discharge slot is also provided, whereby the coins are elevated to a predetermined upper position. The referenced structure is installed on a supporting stand.
In operation, the coins that are contained in the bucket are carried to the coin discharge slot one-by-one by means of the coin discharge disk, and each coin that is passed though the coin discharge slot is pushed into a bottom end of the passage, moved in the passage up to the upper end of the passage, and paid out through a coin outlet.
A coin is pushed out of the bucket and into the passage through the coin discharge slot in an inclined condition because the coin discharge disk is itself inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. Similarly, the coin discharge slot is also inclined. Accordingly, the passage for guiding the coins to the coin outlet in upper position has a gently sloped curve that gradually changes the orientation of the coins from the inclined condition to a vertical condition.
Installation of the known escalator type coin dispenser arrangement having a curved passage that functions as previously described requires a large volume within its housing. Also, the coins in the curved passage often jam. In addition, significant time is required to pay out coins because each coin that is been discharged from the bucket must travel along a long passage to arrive at the coin outlet in the upper position.
An object of this invention is to provide a coin dispenser arrangement by which coins can be smoothly paid out, wherein a passage for guiding coins discharged from a bucket up to a coin outlet in upper position is formed short so that space can be saved, time required for movement of coins is shortened, and further coin clogging rarely occurs.
According to the present invention, there is provided a coin dispenser arrangement for a gaming machine having a bucket portion for retaining an accumulation of coins, the coins being discharged one-by-one from the bucket portion. Additionally, there is provided a passage for guiding the discharged coins to a predetermined position, the passage having a coin orientation adjustment arrangement for changing the orientation of the discharged coin to a predetermined orientation.
The orientation of the coins discharged from the bucket portion can be changed to a desired orientation by the coin orientation adjustment arrangement. As a result, the passage does not need to have a gently sloped curve, as do prior art arrangements, for changing the orientation of coin. The need for space inside of the housing of gaming machine is reduced due to the shortening of the passage that results from the elimination of the curve. Also, elimination of the curve results in a significant reduction in coin jamming.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the coin orientation adjustment arrangement has two rollers disposed respectively on the right and left sides of the passage to which the discharged coins are conducted. Additionally, there is provided a drive source for driving the rollers into rotation, which is arranged so that the pair of rollers may be rotated facing each other to permit introduction, or insertion, of the coin therebetween. Such rotation urges the coin forward while the coin orientation simultaneously is changed to a vertical condition in this specific illustrative embodiment of the invention. The orientation of the coin that is discharged from the bucket portion, therefore, is changed to vertical orientation by the coin orientation adjustment arrangement, and the vertically oriented coin is then moved upwards. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to form a gently sloped curve in the passage. The coin can be led directly to an upward passage and can smoothly be move to the coin outlet at the upper end of the passage. In addition, the coin is urged forward by operation of the rotating rollers which serve to push out the coin.
In one embodiment, the respective shafts of the pair of rollers are laterally bidirectionally displaceable so as to reduce the effect of a shock load that would be transmitted to the rollers and the coin when the coin enters the region between the rollers. At least one of the rollers is chamfered at its upper roll edge, and the other is chamfered at a lower edge. Thus, the inclined coin is easily pulled between the right and the left rollers. Consequently, the orientation of the coin can smoothly be changed.
The coin orientation adjustment arrangement changes the orientation of the coin at a speed that is responsive to the rotary speed of the pair of rollers. Moreover, the coin orientation can be changed immediately by the rollers which can be rotated at a high speed and located immediately beyond the discharge point of the coins from the bucket portion. In this manner, reorientation of the coins to a vertical condition is effected much more rapidly than with the use of the gently sloped curve of the prior art arrangements.